Vehicle-wheel.



B. A. DENNIS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIGATION FILED 121mg, 1911.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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l UNITED STATES PATENT orrroln.

BENJAMIN A; DENNIS, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS A.

' MCGRATH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

j Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten Jan.' o, 1912.

Application filed February 9, 1911. Serial No. 607,563.

To aZZ whm it may concern: n

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. DaN- Nrs, a citizen of the' United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and, State of Rhode Island,have invented Vcertain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a speci'cation.

This vinvention 'relates .to an lmproved cushion means for vehicle wheels, particularly adapted for heavy vehicles, and 4has for its object to provide a wheel of such class .in a manner as hereinafter setforth with means for absorbing shock when the vehicle is traveling over an uneven road surface or meets with an obstruction.

Although the wheel is designed primarily for use in connection with heavy vehicles, yet it is to be understood thatit can be employed for vehicles of any weight.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a cushion wheel which is comparatively simple in its construction, and arrangement, strong, durable,` etlicient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. Y

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel con-- struction and arrangement of parts, as here` inafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted vto which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

ln describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure l is a partial side elevation of a.

cushion wheel in accordance with this invention, and, Fig. 2 is a section on line xfa.

of Fig. l.

A cushion wheel in accordance with, this invention comprises an annular rim a pro- `vided with a concave seat al to lreceive a solid rubber tire 6 which is round in crosssection. -This rim a is formed at each side at its' outer portion with a laterally-extending ledge at', whereby the inner portion of the rim a will be of less width than the outer portion thereof. Ccncentric with the rim a 1s a ring c, of lesser diameter than said rim,

. of sector blocks This improved wheel includes-a series of spokes of special construction, only one of which is shown, and eachspoke, designated by reference letter asa whole, consists of an inner tube 71,1, and an outer tube 11,2. The tube hlis secured in any suitable manner to the vehicle-hub z', and the outer tube h2 is screw-threaded forenga ementin one of the spaced screw-three ed openings formed through the ring c, as at a point ha,

and the adjacent ends of both tubes k1 andl k2 are also screw threaded for engagement w1th a union j.

In the pocket g, of the wheel, is a seriesk, only one of which is'4 shown, each block having its curved surface bearing against thc rim a, and in each block is secured a rod /cl which projects through and .nearly the full length of the outer spoke-tube h2, and said rod has an integral collar k2 loosely fitting within said tube.A

.lVithin the union j is a disk Z having an integral. projecting stemy Z1. An expanding coil spring m surrounds the st -em Zjl and is interposed between the disk Z and a plug n, which is v4secured in the vehicle-hub c'. An expanding coil spring m1 surrounds the rod /ffl and is interposed between its collar 7a2 and the disk Z. The tendency of the springs m and m1 is to force the rim a.- outwardly and thereby serve as a cushion for the tire a, when it travels over an uneven roadsurface or meets with an obstruction. The ac- 'tion of the springs m, m1 eiiects a radial resiliency between the rim a and hub z'. The rim a has a slight circumferential movement upon the series of sector blocks it, and the tire b h'as'also a slight circumferential creeping movement upon the bearing of said rim, and this complementary movement of the rim and the tire upon each other is to prevent wear ofthe elastic portion and keep the rubberuniform throughout its bearing Contact upon said rim. l

This construction of vehicle wheel, as described, permits the rim a; tire b; the ring c,

being collectively the wheel,

and its spoke members h2 disumted from the remamder of by simply unscrewing the union y' from its spoke members h1, so that a new coil spring m, m1 and its adjunctive parts may be readily lmounted in position whenever the occasion demands.

By my construction and arrangement of parts I provide a cushion vmeans for a vehicle. wheel that is effective in operatiom' af-nim formed with a laterally extending ledge at each side and said rim provided with a concave seat to receive a solid rubbei tire, a ying of lesser diameter than the' rim and said ring having fixed annular ianges in sliding Contact upon the side faces of said rim; a spoke composed of two tubes one of which is secured in the ring an the Vother secuifed in the wheel-hub; a union connection for the inner lends-of said tubes; a sector block whose curved surface rests against the rim and said block having a rod projecting with an integral collar; a disk; an lexpandinto the outer tube and provided ing coil spring interposed between thecollar and said disk, a second expanding coil sping interposed between saiddisk and the wheel-ln1b.

In testimony whereof I a'ix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

JAMnsM. GJLLRAIN, JOHN M. Cmnionn.

BENJAMN A. BENNIS.- y 

